Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Gaming Theory and Culture for the 30th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts. 

 

The focus of ICFA 30 is on time and the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered.  The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 18 - 22, 2009 at the Orlando Airport Marriott Hotel.  For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

 

Your proposal should focus on games based on fantasy or science fiction, or horror premises, including (but not limited to) media tie-ins, for any electronic platform as well as online games (even ones that are mostly text based, e.g., MUSHes, etc.). table-top games, card games, pen-and-paper games.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

 

Virtual environments and bodies

Gaming communities

Avatars

Performance

Role-playing

Narrative structure and strategy

Online gaming

The economics of gaming

Game-specific language, how communication evolves for and out of the medium

Immersion

Gaming psychology

Differences in gamer engagement with game based on medium (e.g., table top, visual online, textual online, etc.)

Games and learning

Game genres and series

Representations of self/identity in online games, MUSHes, etc.

Gender and sexuality in games/gaming

 

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context.  Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses).  Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.  Please email proposals as rich text (.rtf), PDF (.pdf), or Word document (.doc) formats.  If you use Word 2007, please save your document as a .doc file, not a .docx file.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Barbara Lucas, Division Head

Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division

barbedwriting@yahoo.com

 

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2008.  However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

 

We encourage work from institutionally-affiliated scholars, independent scholars, international scholars who work in languages other than English, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

 

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org.  Bookmark the site so you can check for updates.  For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

 

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

 

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Buying and Selling Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror for the 30th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts. 

 

The focus of ICFA 30 is on time and the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered.  The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 18 - 22, 2009 at the Orlando Airport Marriott Hotel.  For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

 

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

 

Viral Marketing Campaigns

Alternate Reality Games (ARG’s).

Specific marketing campaigns for movies, books, television series, video games

Interaction between corporate entities and communities of consumers

Barter/trading systems versus cash exchange economies

Collecting and memorabilia

Collectible card gaming

 

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context.  Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses).  Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.  Please email proposals as rich text (.rtf), PDF (.pdf), or Word document (.doc) formats.  If you use Word 2007, please save your document as a .doc file, not a .docx file.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Barbara Lucas, Division Head

Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division

barbedwriting@yahoo.com

 

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2008.  However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

 

We encourage work from institutionally-affiliated scholars, independent scholars, international scholars who work in languages other than English, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

 

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org.  Bookmark the site so you can check for updates.  For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

 

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

 

 

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Hypertexts, New Media, and Convergence in the Fantastic for the 30th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts. 

 

The focus of ICFA 30 is on time and the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered.  The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 18 - 22, 2009 at the Orlando Airport Marriott Hotel.  For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

 

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

 

The fantastic in blogs, LiveJournal, JournalFen, YouTube, PodCasting

Ebooks and magazines

Hypertexts

Cross-media storytelling (e.g., The Matrix films relying on video games and anime to add narrative layers/detail to the work as a whole)

Non-traditional means of publicity (e.g, Internet-only trailers, writers’ blogs, etc.)

The role of “fictional” blogs and websites (corporate-run behind the scenes)

 

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context.  Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses).  Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.  Please email proposals as rich text (.rtf), PDF (.pdf), or Word document (.doc) formats.  If you use Word 2007, please save your document as a .doc file, not a .docx file.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Barbara Lucas, Division Head

Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division

barbedwriting@yahoo.com

 

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2008.  However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

 

We encourage work from institutionally-affiliated scholars, independent scholars, international scholars who work in languages other than English, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

 

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org.  Bookmark the site so you can check for updates.  For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

 

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Fan Art, Fiction, and Culture for the 30th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts. 

 

The focus of ICFA 30 is on time and the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered.  The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 18 - 22, 2009 at the Orlando Airport Marriott Hotel.  For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

 

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following:

 

Comparative studies of fan fiction writers and communities

Slash, het, or gen fiction

Interactions between writers and fandoms.

Fan fiction genres (e.g., hurt-comfort, BDSM, MPREG, incest, etc)

Relationships between writers and their controlling narratives

Real-person fictions (i.e., actor versus character fictions)

Tensions between fanon and canon

Selling fannish creations

Photo manipulation and “vidding”

The role of the Internet in building fan communities and shaping fannish interactions

Fan and media convention culture

Representations of self/identity in fandom

Fandom-specific language, how communication evolves for and out of the community

Filking

Costuming and cosplay

Fan art

 

Any fandoms based on fantasy or science fiction, or horror television, film, comics, gaming, anime, and manga are welcome. 

 

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context.  Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses).  Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.  Please email proposals as rich text (.rtf), PDF (.pdf), or Word document (.doc) formats.  If you use Word 2007, please save your document as a .doc file, not a .docx file.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Barbara Lucas, Division Head

Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division

barbedwriting@yahoo.com

 

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2008.  However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

 

We encourage work from institutionally-affiliated scholars, independent scholars, international scholars who work in languages other than English, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

 

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org.  Bookmark the site so you can check for updates.  For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

 

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

 

 

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Sociology and Folklore in the Fantastic for the 30th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts. 

 

The focus of ICFA 30 is on time and the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered.  The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 18 - 22, 2009 at the Orlando Airport Marriott Hotel.  For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

 

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

 

How audiences/communities construct their own folklore, legends, and urban legends

Archiving and transmission of community folklore and legend

How folklore, myth, and legend impact individual and group expressions of identity

Linguistic and philosophical elements of folklore, myth, and urban legend and how these impact audience interaction with the texts

How fantastical personae impact the expression and definition of personal identity

Media representations of fantastical communities

 

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context.  Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses).  Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.  Please email proposals as rich text (.rtf), PDF (.pdf), or Word document (.doc) formats.  If you use Word 2007, please save your document as a .doc file, not a .docx file.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Barbara Lucas, Division Head

Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division

barbedwriting@yahoo.com

 

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2008.  However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

 

We encourage work from institutionally-affiliated scholars, independent scholars, international scholars who work in languages other than English, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

 

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org.  Bookmark the site so you can check for updates.  For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

 

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

The Conference Schedule:
The conference generally begins mid-day on Wednesday with a short opening ceremony followed by one slot of paper sessions. After this, there is time for dinner and then a welcome reception.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are filled with paper sessions, panels, author readings, and other events. There are usually 5 slots for programming each day and about 5 or 6 tracks of programming running during each time slot. There is also programming in the evenings on Thursday and Friday.

Friday is also the Guest Scholar luncheon. The price of this is included in your registration. In addition to this, there is the Guest of Honor luncheon (Thursday) and the awards banquet (Saturday evening). Tickets for either of these last two events can be purchased with your registration or at the registration desk at the conference. While you do not have to participate in the luncheon and banquet, the meals provide keynote speeches and a chance to mingle with other people who share your research interests. There is a farewell reception immediately following the banquet.

People start arriving at the conference as early as Monday and Tuesday, and there are a number of people who stay until the following Monday. If you want to participate in all the programming, you will want to make sure that you are arriving in Lauderdale not much later than noon on Wednesday, and that you are leaving sometime on Sunday.

This year the ICFA is offering a day trip to Universal Studios on Sunday, March 23. 2008. Seating is limited and details can be found at www.iafa.org in the registration form.

Since I have received a number of proposals from graduate students who are first-time ICFA presenters, I figured I needed to post about two programs especially for graduate students.

Graduate Student Mentoring Program:

If you are a graduate student who is new to the conference, we have a mentoring program where you are matched up with a long-time conference attendee (hopefully with similar research interests) who can answer questions you might have before the conference and while you are there. The program can be very helpful, and there is an opening-night reception for participants in the program just before the welcome reception. Please contact me if you want more information on the program. I have been a mentor for the last two years, and it was a lot of fun. I have posted more information about this program at the CC Livejournal here: You can also read more about it at the IAFA website (www.iafa.org).

Graduate Student Award:
Each year, the conference gives an award and cash prize to the best paper submitted by a graduate student, and I would encourage those of you eligible to apply. I have posted more information about this award and application process at the CC Livejournal here: You can also read more about it at the IAFA website (www.iafa.org).

Other Administrivia:
You do not need to submit a completed paper to me in advance of the conference, although you do need to be ready to present during your scheduled session. If you are a first-time presenter, people will often do trial readings for timing and presentation before their sessions, so you can likely find someone who will listen to a trial run.

Also, please prepare a brief bio that your session chair can use to introduce you at your paper session. You do not want to have to be frantically scribbling one out just before the session is set to begin.

If anyone has any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

For those of you new to ICFA, I have a list of some pointers about making travel plans collected over the last eight years of attending the conference. If you are planning on booking early, which I strongly recommend, here are some pointers.

Flying into and out of Orlando :
Orlando is a popular vacation destination. Because of that, getting flights at reasonable times and prices can be a challenge. Conference rates at the hotel extend several days before and after the conference, and you may be able to save significantly on airfare if you explore flight options on different days.

For example, while flying to the conference has never been problematic, getting out after the conference (on a weekend) can be more difficult. My first three or four years attending the conference I was able to get flights out of Fort Lauderdale (ICFA's old venue) on Sunday: Sunday at 7:15 AM. I don't know about the rest of you, but I am not a morning person. Getting up at 5:00 AM (probably earlier now because of post-911 security) does not appeal in the slightest. However, I kept booking the early flights because ones later in the afternoon tended to be hundreds of dollars more.

If you don't mind early flights and book early, you shouldn't have a problem. However, if you have the flexibility, you can book a flight out on Monday instead of Sunday. Fares can sometimes be more reasonable, and seats more plentiful. For me, flying on Monday works out to be about the same price as flying out Sunday afternoon (when I factor in the extra day at the hotel) plus it gives me a day to relax in lovely Florida before heading back to the miserable weather up north.

Whichever option you choose, book early.

The Orlando Airport Marriott:
When booking your room at the hotel, do ask for the conference rate (mention "IAF" or the International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts), which should be $125 per night (plus tax). You can call the Marriott's main number at 800.380.6751 ext. 9290 or call the Orlando Airport Marriott directly at 407.851.9000. In the past, I have had an easier time making my reservations with the hotel itself rather than their national number. Book your room before February 13, 2008 to lock in the conference rate. The rate extends several days before and after the conference, March 16 - 24, 2008.

As those of you who were at the conference last year know, this is going to be our first year in Orlando. We are looking forward to a more modern hotel with more amenities. You can get a brief tour of the new hotel on the website at www.iafa.org.

If you are looking for a roommate to help share costs, the best way to do it is to sign up for the IAFA listserv. There are often calls for roommates posted there. Alternately, you can let me know, and I can put out a feeler to the list for you or perhaps be able to suggest someone else in presenting in the division (who may share your research interests) who is also looking for a roommate.

While temperatures outside the hotel tend to be in the 75-85 degree range (Fahrenheit), temperatures inside may be decidedly frostier. If you are bothered by a lot of air conditioning, bring a sweater or wrap of some kind because some of the rooms will be on the cool side. Others will not, so it's best to have something you can put on and take off as necessary.

There is a free airport shuttle for transportation to and from the airport. However, you are on your own as far as getting around the town if you want to sightsee. Some people will rent cars, and there is a possibility of carpooling with them from time to time. However, if you want to be sure you have the flexibility to get around without depending on others, there are plenty of taxis and rental car companies, if you want to visit some of the areas attractions.

There are two restaurants at the hotel, and many others are within walking distance of the hotel. Those of you who are returning to the conference should find this a welcome change from the old Fort Lauderdale venue.

I've participated in the mentoring program run by the Student Caucus for the last several years, and it is a very worthwhile program that can make navigating the conference easier and more enjoyable. If you have attended ICFA before, consider signing up to be a mentor. If this is your first conference, think about being a mentee.

Here is some additional information about the program from the IAFA website (www.iafa.org).

Since 2001, the IAFA Student Caucus (SCIAFA) has sponsored a Mentoring Program aimed at helping student scholars to find their way around ICFA, discover the natural friendliness of the conference as quickly as possible, use ICFA as an entrance into existing scholarly communities concerned with the fantastic, and leave with both fond memories of the supporting organization and plans to return.

The success of this program depends upon its volunteer participants, and this is your chance to sign up as either a mentor or mentee. IAFA and SCIAFA will be co-sponsoring a designated space where mentors and mentees can meet at the opening Conference Reception on Wednesday evening, 19 March 2008. Attendance at this meeting is the primary task to be undertaken by both mentor and mentee. If you would like to take part in the program in either role but are unable to attend the opening reception, we encourage you to sign up anyway and arrange a more convenient meeting time with your partner. The mentor-mentee pairs will be matched up by the current SCIAFA representative. For this reason, if you interested in joining this new program, please answer the following questions and send them to the SCIAFA representative at the e-mail address given below. Please fill out this information in order to sign up for either position.

1. What is your name?
2. What is your e-mail address?
3. What is your institutional affiliation?
4. What would you consider to be your main interests in the field of the fantastic?
5. When will you be arriving at the conference?
6. When will you be departing from the conference?
7. Are you currently planning to attend the conference reception on Wednesday evening?
8. Which role are you signing up for, mentor or mentee?

A wide variety of IAFA's members have expressed their eagerness to take part in this program, and we're very excited to be able to offer it. Please take a moment now to decide whether you would like to be a part of this program and return your questionnaire as soon as possible to Brecken Hancock at brecken.hancock AT unb DOT ca

Some of you have requested more information on the Graduate Student Award. The following is the text from the IAFA website (www.iafa.org) that explains the award and application process in more detail. I would encourage all graduate students to consider applying for the award.

IAFA GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD
The International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts presents an annual award and stipend to the graduate student submitting the most outstanding paper at the Association's conference. The award, and a check for $250, will be presented to the winner at the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening. Students must submit their completed paper (3500 words, excluding bibliography) and verification of student status by February 1.

CRITERIA AND INSTRUCTIONS
The student will have had a paper accepted for presentation at the conference. The paper submitted for the competition should be essentially the same as that presented at the conference. The maximum length for entries is 3500 words (about 2 pages over the recommended reading length of 8-9 pages), excluding bibliography/works cited page. Students should be aware that funds are limited and that only one award will be given. The paper selected will be published in the Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, and therefore must not have been previously published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please note that acceptance of a paper for the Conference does not guarantee an award.

It is the responsibility of the student to send a copy of the paper by 1 February 2008 to the IAFA Student-Support Committee's Chair, as well as a copy of the letter of acceptance and verification of student status. Submissions should be in MSWord or rich text format (rtf) files, sent as e-mail attachments to Robin Anne Reid, Student Support Committee Chair, at:

Robin_Reid AT tamu-commerce.edu
Rrede13 AT yahoo.com

Students may be in master's or doctoral programs, at any stage of their program (taking courses, taking exams, writing theses or dissertations), as long as they are currently enrolled. Verification of student status could be a letter of confirmation from a director or advisor, a copy of a student ID, etc.

Support documents may be sent as attached files to the same addresses or sent by mail to:

Robin Anne Reid
Department of Literature and Languages
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Commerce, TX 75429

The committee is looking for good writing: clear, coherent, and interesting. Essays should be solidly grounded in scholarly tradition, showing awareness of previous studies and of historical contexts. Essays may use any suitable method of analysis, including historical and sociological approaches as well as those which originate in literary theory. Judges tend to value the ability to examine materials from a theoretical perspective without simply plugging in a particular critical method. Essays should give a clear idea of the critical/theoretical framework within which the discussion will be situated, as well as identify primary and secondary texts for the discussion.

A copy of these criteria and an application form can be found at www,iafa.org in the Awards section of the website.

 Hi, I am doing a PhD on slash fanfic (because I write slash fanfic). There is no-one else at my Uni doing anything remotely along the same line as me, so I would like to get in contact with some fellow slash academics to chat, and hopefully to get information that I have trouble finding by myself, such as potential conferences etc. I already have a PhD in Molecular Biology (a glutton for punishment, I know, but it was about time I did something just because I was interested, not to get a career!), and teach part time. So ... this is just an initial Hi, here I am ... hope to hear from some of you soon (or see you, as we Aussies say).

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Fan Art, Fiction, and Culture for the 29th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts.

The focus of ICFA 29 is on the sublime in the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered. The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 19 - 23, 2008 at the Marriott Orlando Marriott Hotel. For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following:

Comparative studies of fan fiction writers and communities
Slash, het, or gen fiction
Interactions between writers and fandoms.
Fan fiction genres (e.g., hurt-comfort, BDSM, MPREG, incest, etc)
Relationships between writers and their controlling narratives
Real-person fictions (i.e., actor versus character fictions)
Tensions between fanon and canon
Selling fannish creations
Photo manipulation and "vidding"
The role of the Internet in building fan communities and shaping fannish interactions
Fan and media convention culture
Representations of self/identity in fandom
Fandom-specific language, how communication evolves for and out of the community
Filking
Costuming and cosplay
Fan art

Any fandoms based on fantasy or science fiction, or horror television, film, comics, gaming, anime, and manga are welcome.

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context. Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses). Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Barbara Lucas, Division Head
Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division
DFS
31225 Bainbridge Road, Suite M
Solon, OH 44139
barbedwriting@yahoo.com

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2007. However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org. Bookmark the site to keep checking back for updates. For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Video Game Theory and Culture for the 29th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts.

The focus of ICFA 29 is on the sublime in the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered. The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 19 - 23, 2008 at the Marriott Orlando Marriott Hotel. For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

Virtual environments and bodies
Gaming communities
Avatars
Performance
Role-playing
Narrative structure and strategy
Online gaming
The economics of gaming
Game-specific language, how communication evolves for and out of the medium
Immersion
Gaming psychology
Differences in gamer engagement with game based on medium (e.g., table top, visual online, textual online, etc.)
Games and learning
Game genres and series
Representations of self/identity in online games, MUSHes, etc.
Gender and sexuality in games/gaming

Any games based on fantasy or science fiction, or horror premises, including media tie-ins, for any electronic platform as well as online games (even ones that are mostly text based, e.g., MUSHes, etc.).

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context. Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses). Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Barbara Lucas, Division Head
Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division
DFS
31225 Bainbridge Road, Suite M
Solon, OH 44139
barbedwriting@yahoo.com

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2007. However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org. Bookmark the site to keep checking back for updates. For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Buying and Selling Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror for the 29th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts.

The focus of ICFA 29 is on the sublime in the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered. The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 19 - 23, 2008 at the Marriott Orlando Marriott Hotel. For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

Viral Marketing Campaigns
Alternate Reality Games (ARG's).
Specific marketing campaigns for movies, books, television series, video games
Interaction between corporate entities and communities of consumers
Barter/trading systems versus cash exchange economies
Collecting and memorabilia
Collectible card gaming

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context. Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses). Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Barbara Lucas, Division Head
Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division
DFS
31225 Bainbridge Road, Suite M
Solon, OH 44139
barbedwriting@yahoo.com

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2007. However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org. Bookmark the site to keep checking back for updates. For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Hypertexts, New Media, and Convergence in the Fantastic for the 29th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts.

The focus of ICFA 29 is on the sublime in the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered. The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 19 - 23, 2008 at the Marriott Orlando Marriott Hotel. For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

The fantastic in blogs, LiveJournal, JournalFen, YouTube, PodCasting
Ebooks and magazines
Hypertexts
Cross-media storytelling (e.g., The Matrix films relying on video games and anime to add narrative layers/detail to the work as a whole)
Non-traditional means of publicity (e.g, Internet-only trailers, writers' blogs, etc.)
The role of "fictional" blogs and websites (corporate-run behind the scenes)

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context. Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses). Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Barbara Lucas, Division Head
Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division
DFS
31225 Bainbridge Road, Suite M
Solon, OH 44139
barbedwriting@yahoo.com

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2007. However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org. Bookmark the site to keep checking back for updates. For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

Participants are being sought for paper sessions on Sociology and Folklore in the Fantastic for the 29th Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts.

The focus of ICFA 29 is on the sublime in the fantastic, and while papers relating to this theme are welcome, proposals on any topics related to this call will be considered. The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from March 19 - 23, 2008 at the Marriott Orlando Marriott Hotel. For more information and updates about the conference, please visit www.iafa.org.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

How audiences/communities construct their own folklore, legends, and urban legends
Archiving and transmission of community folklore and legend
How folklore, myth, and legend impact individual and group expressions of identity
Linguistic and philosophical elements of folklore, myth, and urban legend and how these impact audience interaction with the texts
How fantastical personae impact the expression and definition of personal identity
Media representations of fantastical communities

If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract and appropriate bibliography indicating the project's scholarly or theoretical context. Be sure to include current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses). Also note whether your presentation would require audio-visual equipment.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Barbara Lucas, Division Head
Community and Culture in the Fantastic Division
DFS
31225 Bainbridge Road, Suite M
Solon, OH 44139
barbedwriting@yahoo.com

The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2007. However, proposals will be reviewed and accepted as they are received.

You can review all conference information at the IAFA website: www.iafa.org. Bookmark the site to keep checking back for updates. For information and updates specific to the Community and Culture Division, visit http://community.livejournal.com/ccfantastic/.

Please feel free to forward this call to other listservs and individuals who might be interested.

Hello!

I'd like to announce a new community, http://community.livejournal.com/slash_conf/profile.

The purpose of this community is to begin brainstorming ideas to continue holding an annual Slash Fiction Conference once the third (and final) Slash Fiction Study Day at de Montford's University is over (February 2008).

Each year at ICFA, in addition to the pro writers, there seem to be people who are working on fiction projects. This year I wanted to see if there was interest in a fiction-writing workshop during the time we are in Florida.

Participants would need to submit up to 7,500 words (Yes, that is a firm limit, and shorter is also good.) of fiction for critique. Short stories and novel chapters are welcome. If submitting novel chapters, participants would be expected to submit the first chapter(s) or the chapters they want workshopped as well as a short synopsis of the plot up to that point.

Before the conference, participants would need to print out, read, and critique other submissions. During the workshop, they would give an oral critique to the writer and then provide the writer with their written critique commentary. The number of critiques would depend on the number of people who express interest. We may have one group. We may have several.

If you are interested, please email me at barbedwriting AT yahoo DOT com to let me know. Any general questions can also be directed there.

I'd like to have an idea of participants by 1/28 and make any necessary group assignments by 2/1 if we have enough interest to go forward. People would have until 2/15 to post submissions (more information on that once I know we have some interest in this), which gives them a month to critique before the conference.

We are very close to having a draft of the conference schedule posted on the IAFA website. When it is posted, likely this week some time, I will post an announcement here.

When I do, please drop by the website, make certain that your name and affiliation are correct and that there are no errors in spelling in your name or paper title. I've sent over a bunch of edits already, but I want to make sure that we catch any errors before the program goes to the printer.

If you haven't yet booked your flights, this would be a good time to do so. Flights out of Fort Lauderdale on Sundays often fill up very quickly. If you have the flexibility, you might want to look at flying out on Monday. You will still have the conference rate on the room if you choose to stay an extra day.

Anyone looking for a roommate should let me know. There will be people posting about this on the IAFA listserv very soon, so it's not too early to be thinking about this. It is also not too early to send in your conference registration to Katy Hatfield. You can print out the form at the IAFA website. A link to the site is in the sidebar of this page.

Also, I'm still looking for people to chair paper sessions. If you would be interested in chairing a session (which amounts to introducing presenters, making sure they stick to time limits, and facilitate the question-and-answer session, please let me know as soon as possible.

I promised an update on what happens at ICFA aside from paper sessions, panels, and author readings. These things will fill up the days, but that leaves the whole stretch of time from 6:00 PM to midnight. Don't worry. We'll have things to keep you occupied in the evenings.

Wednesday Evening:
Wednesday night, after sessions wrap up, there will be time for dinner. The Graduate Student Caucus will have a meeting and then have a short meet-and-greet for grad students and mentors participating in the mentoring program. After that, there is a mixer for everyone to mix, mingle, and get to know each other.

Thursday and Friday Evening:
There will be a number of things happening in the evenings on these two nights. The Cultural Identities Caucus will meet, as will the Lord Ruthven Society. If you are interested in the focus of either group, you're welcome to attend. Guest Author Melissa Scott will be having a reading, and Guest of Honor Geoff Ryman will be giving a presentation and reading. There will be a horror panel discussion and the annual "Smut and Nothing But" panel. The Graduate Student Caucus often has a late-night movie showing on Friday night.

Saturday Evening:
Saturday night is the night of celebration. There is a happy hour before the awards banquet, and after the banquet, there is a farewell reception.

While these are the official programming events, there are certainly all sorts of unofficial things happening. You can find conference attendees poolside and at the hotel lounge chatting. There have been impromptu games of Mafia or outings to local restaurants organized.

Since I have received a number of proposals from graduate students who are first-time ICFA presenters, I figured I needed to post about two programs especially for graduate students.

Graduate Student Mentoring Program:

If you are a graduate student who is new to the conference, we have a mentoring program where you are matched up with a long-time conference attendee (hopefully with similar research interests) who can answer questions you might have before the conference and while you are there. The program can be very helpful, and there is an opening-night reception for participants in the program just before the welcome reception. Please contact me if you want more information on the program. I was a mentor last year for the first time, and it was a lot of fun.

Graduate Student Award:
Each year, the conference gives an award and cash prize to the best paper submitted by a graduate student. Any graduate students who need more information on this award should contact me.